On Writing vs The situation and the story: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Arte de escribir, Biography & Memoir
On Writing
“In the early ninties (it might have been 1992, but it's hard to remember when you're having a good time) I joined a rock and roll band composed mostly of writers.”
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On Writing is both a textbook for writers and a memoir of Stephen's life and will, thus, appeal even to those who are not aspiring writers. If you've always wondered what led Steve to become a writer and how he came to…
The situation and the story
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"All narrative writing must pull from the raw material of life a tale that will shape experience, transform event, deliver a bit of wisdom. In a story or a novel the "I" who tells this tale can be, and often is, an…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate On Writing highest: On Writing 4.3 · The situation and the story 3.8.
- The situation and the story is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 5 for On Writing.
- On Writing has the widest readership — 326882 ratings behind its score.
How to choose
Scores by source
| On Writing | The situation and the story | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.3 (326882) | — |
| Hardcover | 5.0 (1) | 3.7 (6) |
| Google Books | 4.0 (26) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (740) | 4.0 (5) |
Reception
| On Writing | The situation and the story | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 326882 | 6 |
| Editions | 69 | 6 |
| Want to read | 335152 | — |
| Reading it now | 19230 | — |
| Written reviews | 28238 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 80 | — |
| Pages | 288 | 169 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: On Writing or The situation and the story?
On Writing has the higher combined reader rating across sources (On Writing 4.3/5, The situation and the story 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: On Writing or The situation and the story?
The situation and the story is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The situation and the story (169 pages, ≈ 3 h 08 m); On Writing (288 pages, ≈ 5 h 20 m).
Which is harder to read: On Writing or The situation and the story?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — On Writing: Moderate; The situation and the story: Challenging.